The Reproductive System

Flashcards about the reproductive system.

What is the ultimate outcome of sexual reproduction?

A diploid zygote

How do single-celled organisms reproduce asexually?

Fission

What is parthenogenesis?

Females produce offspring from unfertilized eggs

What type of reproduction involves self-impregnation?

Parthenogenesis

What is the term for an individual having both testes and ovaries?

Hermaphroditism

What environmental factor can determine sex in some fish and reptiles?

Temperature

What gene on the Y chromosome converts indifferent gonads to testes?

SRY gene

What are the three developmental strategies that evolved from internal fertilization?

Oviparity, Ovoviviparity, and Viviparity

What is oviparity?

Fertilized eggs are deposited outside the mother's body to complete their development

What is ovoviviparity?

Fertilized eggs are kept within the mother to complete development, young obtain food from egg yolk; hatch and release from mother

What is viviparity?

Young develop within the mother and obtain nourishment from her blood; placenta allows exchange of blood and gas exchange

What type of fertilization do most species of bony fish use?

External fertilization

How do most reptiles reproduce?

Oviparously, laying eggs and abandoning them

Which animals practice internal fertilization and have a hard calcareous shell on their eggs?

Birds

What is the term for the periodic release of a mature ovum in female reproductive cycles?

Ovulation

What are the three types of mammals based on their reproductive strategies?

Monotremes, Marsupials, and Placentals

What is the function of the seminiferous tubules?

Sites of sperm production

What cells produce testosterone?

Leydig cells

What is the role of Sertoli cells?

Nurse developing germ cells and help convert spermatids into spermatozoa

What part of the sperm contains the nucleus and acrosome?

Head

What is the function of the acrosome?

Aids in penetration of the egg

Where are sperm stored and matured?

Epididymis

What is semen composed of?

Fluids from seminal vesicles, prostate gland, bulbourethral glands, and sperm

What stimulates the dilation of arteries during an erection?

Nitric oxide (NO)

What hormones control the male reproductive system?

GnRH, FSH, LH, and Testosterone

What does FSH stimulate in males?

Spermatogenesis via Sertoli cells

What does LH stimulate in males?

Secretion of testosterone by Leydig cells

What triggers menarche?

Estrogen

What are the three phases of the human menstrual cycle?

Follicular phase, Ovulation, and Luteal phase

What occurs during the follicular phase?

Several follicles are stimulated to grow, with one achieving full maturity

What causes the Graafian follicle to burst, releasing the secondary oocyte?

LH surge

What happens to the Graafian follicle after ovulation?

It transforms into the corpus luteum

What hormones does the corpus luteum secrete?

Estrogen and progesterone

What hormone maintains the corpus luteum during pregnancy?

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)

Which mammals have estrous cycles instead of menstrual cycles?

Non-primate mammals

What marks sexual receptivity in mammals with estrous cycles?

Estrus (being 'in heat')

What is the function of Bartholin's glands?

Secrete lubricant that facilitates penetration by penis